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How are y’all doing today? Been a while since we really caught up, seriously.

With all the chaos surrounding security with Google, Edge, and Firefox (also some problems I’ve been having with their formatting systems), I’ve been on the look out for a new go-to browser on my laptop.

Oh, that’s right! I haven’t introduced you all to *Lassy the Laptop* ~ a new, super-awesome Samsung 9! She turns into a tablet AND is only about 2lbs to carry around (great for traveling). Lawrence the Laptop needed a new girlfriend (he’s a little old in the tooth and needed a young, hot babe to keep him active). She cost me a fortune (gold digger!) ~ but was a much needed update.

Anyway, now that I have her up and running, I decided to try out a new browser I’ve been hearing about. Edge is driving me crazy (often crashes when I try closing a download pop-up and refuses to load address searches the first 2-3 times I input it) and I know Google is super un-secure. Then there’s Firefox — I was one of the early people on Firefox because it was fast. But over time it slowed down. I’ve heard they revamped it this year, so I’ll probably check it out later this week.

*Disclaimer ~ I am not a computer guru. So I can’t speak to anything like security, ISPs, etc – I can fix almost all of my computer’s hardware, but I’m not a great software person. This is the initial perspective of an average person 😀

According to my research, Vivaldi is known for giving the user complete control over the browser itself. That’s impressively true! Continue reading →

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Sooooo. I recently had to buy a new #laptop 😭 Lawrence the Laptop has a broken touchpad, broken microphone jack, crashing battery, a fan that’s competing with airplanes for loudest lift-off, and lose USB ports. Poor baby!

After exhaustive research I decidedto get a #Samsung notebook 9. At 13.3 inches and super lightweight, it’snice for travel. Unfortunately #Samsung US website SUCKS and I couldn’t get it ordered before my mom came to #China. So I thought, why not go to #Korea! I’m there on vacay – hone of #Samsung. No prob!

Big prob! The laptop was $400 more expensive for a lower quality product! Instead of i7 they had i5 and instead of 16RAM, it was 8RAM. 😡😡

BUT! I was headed to #China and had to have a computer, so I picked it up anyway. Lil – funniest thing. So, the dude waiting on me was the cutest guy. Very nice, good English, helpful. But I was complaining (spectacularly) about the price. So he promised to give me a gift 😬

My gift? – A selfie stick, a toothbrush holder (with toothbrush! woop!), and a car magnet 😂😅😜😝 In fact, he gave me another set to my mom as well. Lololol. Not sure it was worth $400, but you know? I’m still laughing about it – so they’re probably #priceless.

Couple notes for potential expats:

1) Did you know many #computer products bought in the #US require that you keep the product in theUS to maintain warranty?
2) Your US warranty won’t always work abroad – #Dell won’t service my #laptop in #China even though it has centers here Cause I have a US warranty.
3) Foreign warranty’s may not be as good as the US version. So be careful before agreeing to transfer warranty from one country to another.

I am so Happy 😂 ‘Dingbats’ is an official ‘symbol’ category on #Kingsoft #WPS . . . . So from now on, Whenever I think someone’s being an idiot, I could stick random secret ‘dingbat’ symbols in my messages. 😂😄😆

3. On the next page you’ll see a longlist of restaurants offering services. #pizzahut is in my picture. But you Also have #KFC #mcdonalds #burgerking #Chinesefood and more! (YES, MCDONALD’S DELIVERS IN CHINA!).

4. Pick the place you want.

5. The next page will have a list of #food offered with pictures (THREE CHEERS FOR PICTURES!!!)😜

6. Click the + symbol next to what you want. It goes into your cart.

7. When You’re done, Click the green button on the bottom of the screen.

IMAGE 2 – Paying & Address

8. The next screen is important.

At the top you’ll see a box with the location symbol (marked 1 on the second picture I posted). CLICK this box.

9. For the first time, ask a #Chinese speaker to add the address (and other popular addresses) for you. It will save it in a list. In the future just pick the address you want it delivered to from the list.

12. Go back to the home screen of Alipay – Choose ‘e’ for take-out again

13. You’re back to the List of restaurants. On the bottom toolbar, You’ll see a Square (2nd button) that I circled in pink. Click it.

14. Now you’re on a List of orders You’ve made. Choose the Chinese words next to the order.

15. Tada! Now you have the estimated delivery time and a gps map showing you where the driver is.

DELIVERY.

16. They usually call you when they arrive at your door. I Can’t speak Chinese well 😭 so I text them ‘你好.我来了’ which means basically ‘Hi, I’m on my way’. Can’t promise It’s accurate Chinese, but they always understand it. 😊

You DON’T have to pay the driver, delivery fees were in the original cost 😊

It’s several steps and tricky to figure out, but I was starving a while back and learned on my own of necessity 😜🍴

​Awwwww #Santa picked me up yesterday for a ride on his way to deliver #toys! ❤️💖 Wasn’t he sweet! Although his reindeer have upgraded to being disguised a lot like a #Toyota. 😆 Thanks to #Didi for the opportunity to be sleigh escorted to my #Christmas #party!